How Many Carbs Are in a Turkey Sandwich?

Turkey sandwiches are a popular lunchtime choice for many people looking for a filling and protein-packed meal. But when following a low-carb or ketogenic diet, it’s important to keep track of your carb intake. So how many carbs are actually in a typical turkey sandwich? Let’s take a closer look.

The Carb Content of Turkey Sandwich Ingredients

The carb content of a turkey sandwich can vary widely depending on the specific ingredients used but some common turkey sandwich components include

• Bread – Sliced bread can range from 15-25 grams of net carbs per slice depending on the type White bread tends to be higher in carbs than wheat or sprouted grain breads,

• Turkey – Deli sliced turkey breast is very low in carbs at around 1 gram per 3-4 ounce serving.

• Cheese – Cheese adds minimal carbs at around 0-1 gram per slice. Popular choices like cheddar, provolone and swiss work well.

• Vegetables – Lettuce is almost zero net carbs at <1 gram per leaf. Tomatoes add 2-3 net carbs per sliced tomato. Other veggies like cucumbers, pickles and bell peppers provide less than 5 grams per serving.

• Condiments – Mustard, mayo, oil and vinegar contain minimal carbs at around 0-1 grams per tablespoon. Watch out for honey mustard or sugary ketchup and barbecue sauce.

• Bread – Most bread slices range from 15-25g net carbs each

• Turkey – Very low carb at ~1g per 3-4oz

• Cheese – 0-1g per slice

• Lettuce – <1g per leaf

• Tomatoes – 2-3g per sliced tomato

• Cucumbers – <5g per serving

• Bell peppers – <5g each

• Condiments – 0-1g per tablespoon

So the carb counts can range widely, but using lower carb ingredients can reduce the carbs in a turkey sandwich.

Typical Carb Counts in Different Turkey Sandwiches

Here is the approximate carb content of some popular turkey sandwich recipes:

Basic Turkey and Cheese Sandwich

• 2 slices whole wheat bread – 30g net carbs
• 3-4 oz turkey breast – 1g net carbs
• 1-2 slices cheddar cheese – 1g net carbs

• Total: Around 32g net carbs

Club Style Turkey Sandwich

• 2 slices sourdough bread – 30g net carbs
• 3-4 oz turkey breast – 1g net carbs
• 2 slices bacon – 0g net carbs
• 1 leaf lettuce – 1g net carbs
• 1 tomato slice – 3g net carbs
• 1 tbsp mayonnaise – 0g net carbs

• Total: Around 35g net carbs

Turkey and Veggie Sandwich

• 2 slices sprouted grain bread – 26g net carbs
• 3-4 oz turkey breast – 1g net carbs
• 1 oz avocado – 2g net carbs
• 2 leaves lettuce – 2g net carbs
• 2 cucumber slices – 4g net carbs
• 1 tbsp mustard – 0g net carbs

• Total: Around 35g net carbs

So a typical turkey sandwich made with two slices of bread and standard sandwich ingredients will provide around 30-35 grams of net carbs.

Making a Low Carb Turkey Sandwich

If you want to enjoy a turkey sandwich while reducing the carb content, here are some tips:

• Use low-carb bread options like cloud bread or lettuce wraps instead of regular bread slices. This removes about 15-30g of carbs.

• Skip high carb veggies like tomatoes and stick to low carb lettuce, cucumbers, bell peppers or pickles as fillings.

• Limit condiments to mustard, mayo, oil and vinegar instead of sugary sauces or dressings.

• Add healthy fats from avocado slices or a bit of cheese to make it more filling.

• Avoid extras like cranberry sauce, sugared nuts or oatmeal cookies on a sandwich platter. Stick to the basics.

• Consider an open-faced sandwich on just one slice of bread or low carb wrap.

With these tweaks, you can reduce the net carbs in a turkey sandwich down to 10-15 grams easily while still enjoying the classic flavor.

What About Pre-Packaged Turkey Sandwiches?

If you are buying a pre-made turkey sandwich from a restaurant, café or grocery deli, the nutrition information should be available upon request. This will give you the most accurate carb count for that specific sandwich recipe. The carb content may be higher or lower based on the ingredients used.

As a general guideline, a 6-inch sub style turkey sandwich on white bread with cheese and veggies will contain 40-50g net carbs. Getting it without the bread or on a lettuce wrap is the best option for reducing carbs. Most keto meal plans recommend limiting net carbs to 20-50g per day, so a large turkey sub could use up your entire carb allowance for the day!

Comparing nutrition labels and asking for lower carb ingredients is key when purchasing a grab-and-go turkey sandwich. Or you may want to prepare your own turkey sandwich at home where you can control the carb content.

The Best Bread Options for Low Carb Turkey Sandwiches

If you want to enjoy a turkey sandwich within your low carb or keto macros, these are some of the best low carb bread alternatives to use:

• Lettuce wraps – Large lettuce leaves used instead of bread for wrap-style sandwiches. Almost zero net carbs.

• Cloud bread – Fluffy and soft bread made from just eggs, cream cheese and sometimes almond flour. Around 2-4g net carbs per slice.

• Turkey roll-ups – Deli turkey rolled up with cheese and veggies inside. No bread needed.

• Low carb tortillas – Options with 5g net carbs or less per tortilla work well. Popular brands are Mission, La Tortilla Factory and Ole.

• Keto bread – Specialty keto bread made with almond flour and egg can provide 10g net carbs per slice. Brands like ThinSlim and Simple Keto make good options.

• Collard green wraps – Sturdy collard greens can replace sandwich bread when halves are joined to make a wrap. Less than 5g net carbs.

With the right low carb bread substitutes, you can definitely still enjoy turkey sandwiches while meeting your macros on a keto, paleo, gluten-free or other low carb eating plan. You just need to be diligent about counting carbs and choosing the best options for your goals.

Turkey Sandwich Carb Counting Tips

Here are some final tips for counting carbs correctly when making or ordering turkey sandwiches:

• Check labels and ask questions when ordering out so you know exactly what is on your sandwich. Don’t assume or guess at carb contents.

• Weigh or measure portions to get accurate carb counts. Guessing sandwich sizes and ingredient amounts can lead to overestimating or underestimating carbs.

• Account for extras beyond just the sandwich, like chips, fries, soda or cookies that often come as side items. Those can add 20-60g of carbs to your meal.

• Use a food tracking app to log your turkey sandwich ingredients and save commonly used combos for quick tracking. Apps like MyFitnessPal or Carb Manager make it easy.

• Don’t forget to track small amounts of veggies, sauces and dressings as those carb grams add up.

• Stick to whole food ingredients and avoid processed low carb breads and wraps made with lots of hidden starches, sugars and fillers.

With some careful planning and carb counting, you can definitely fit a tasty turkey sandwich into a low carb or ketogenic diet plan as an occasional treat. Just be sure to accurately track those carb grams to meet your daily goals. Enjoy!